Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-10-20

same charming cast OF lace as the lrSC
whom we had seen waited on US while we
ate, and very nicely they did it. They
were also dressed in the same fashion:
namely, in white linen petticoat coming
to the knees, and with the toga-like gar
ment of brown cloth, leaving bare the
right arm and breast. I afterward found
out that this was the national dress, and
regulated by an iron custom, though of
course subject to variations. Thus, if the
petticoat was pure white, it signifed that
the Wearer was unmarried: if white, with
a. straight purple stripe round the edge.
that she was married and first and legal
wife; if with a wayy purple stripe. that she
was a second or other wife; if with black
stripe, that she was a widow. In the same
way the toga, or ''kaf," as they call it, was
of different shades of color, from pure
white to the deepest brown, according to
the rank of the wearer, and embroidered
at the end in various ways. This also APP
plies to the ''shirts' or tunics worn by the
men, which varied in material and color;
but the kits were always the same except
as regards quality. One thing, however,
every man and woman in the country wore
as the national insignia; and that was the
thick band of gold round the right arm
above the elbow, and the left leg above the
knee. People of high rank also wore
torque Of gold round the neck, and I OBJ
served that our guide had one on.
SO soon as we had finished our meal, our
venerable conductor, who had been stand
ing all the while, regarding us with in
curing eyes, and our guns with something
as like fear as his pride would allow him
to show, bowed toward Good, whom he
evidently took for the leader of the party
on account of the splendor Of his apparel.
and once more led the way through the
door and to the foot Of the great staircase.
Here we paused for a moment to admire
| two colossal lions, each heWn from q sin
ole block OF pure black marble and stand
inc rampant on the examinations of the
wide balustrades OF the staircase. These
lions are magnificently executed, and it is
| said were sculptured by Rademas, the
| great prince who designed the staircase,
| and who was without doubt, to judge
| from the many beautiful examples CT his
art that we saw afterward, one OF the nm
est sculptors who has ever lived, either in
| this or any other country. Then we pro
ceeded, almost with feeling of awe, up
| that splendid stair. a work executed Tor
| all time, and that will, I do not doubt, be
4
erations unborn, unless an earthquake
throws it down. Even Umslopogaas, who
as general rule made it a point of honor
not to show establishment, which he con-
| sidered undignified, was fairly startled out
of himself, and asked if the "hridge had
been built by men or devils,'' which was
his vague way of abiding to any super
natural power. But Alphonse did not care
! about it, Its solid grandeur Jared upon
| the frivolous little Frenchman, who said
that it was all ''tres 7ldgntttQtc, 91odts tTiste
| oh, triSte!' and went on to suggest that
it would be improved if the balustrades
| were gilt
On we went up the first flight of one
| hundred and twenty-five steps, across the
broad platform joining it to the second
nislro -,s~.>&s~a 60 auInIre The g1or-
iouS view of one of the most beautiful
stretches of country that the world can
show. edged by the blue waters of the
lake. Then we passed on up this till ct
last we reached the top, where we found a
| large standing space to which there were
three entrances, all of small size. Two of
| these gave on to rather narrow galleries,
or roadways, which were cut III the face of
the precipice that ran round the palace
| walls and led to the principal thorough
| fares of the city, and were used by the in-
habitants passing up and down from the
docks. These were defended by gates OF
bronze, and also, as we afterward learnt,
it was possible to LET down a portion of the
roadways themselves by withdrawing
certain bolts, and thus render it almost
impossible for an enemy to pass The
third entrance consisted of flight of ter
curved black marble steps leading to a
| doorway cut in the palace wall. This WALL
was in itself a work of art, being built OF
huge blocks of granite to the height of for
ty feet and so fashioned that its face was
concave, whereby it was rendered practi-
cally impossible for it to be scaled To
this doorway our guide led us. The door,
which was very massive, and made of wood
protected by an outer gate Of bronze, was
closed; but on our approach it was thrown
wide, and we were met by the challenge OF
a sentry, who was armed with heavy tri-
angular-bladed spear, not unlike a bayonet
in shape, and a cutting sword, and pro
tected by breast.and back plates of skill
fully prepared hippopotamus-hide, and a
small round shield fashioned of the same
tough material The sword instantly at
tracted our attention; it was practically
identical with the one in the possession of
from the ill-starred wanderer There was
no mistaking the gold-lined fretwork cut
in the thickness of the blade. So the man
had told the truth after, after all Our
guide instantly gave q password, which
the soldier acknowledged by letting the
iron shaft of his spear fall with ringing
sound upon the pavement, and we passed
on through the massive wall into the court
yard of the palace. This was about forty
yards square, and laid out in flower beds
full of lovely shrubs and plants, many OF
which were quite new to me. Through
the center of this garden ran a broad walk
formed of powdered shells brought from
the lake in the place of gravel. Following
this, we came to another doorway, with q
round heavy arch, which is hung with
thick curtains for there are no doors III
the palace itself Then came another short
passage. and we were in the great hall OF
the palace. and once more stood astonisheo
| at the simple and yet overpowering grand
eur Of the place.
The hall is, as we afterward learnt, one
hundred and ten feet long by eighty wide